


All Good Things...

by Natsumiya_Teirin



Category: End Roll (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, Gen, M/M, Obligatory Thanksgiving, Post-Canon, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Dinner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2019-02-05 07:15:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12789525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natsumiya_Teirin/pseuds/Natsumiya_Teirin
Summary: Russell is released on Thanksgiving day. Chris invites him over for dinner- because what kind of friend lets their buddy suffer and starve alone on Thanksgiving?Russell reflects on the things he's thankful for.





	1. Day 8

Russell was let out into the world on Thanksgiving. 

It was ironic, but also fitting, especially now that he had something to feel thankful for. Or...no. That wasn’t right- it was fitting because he'd only recently learned to feel thankful. He had plenty he should've been thankful to have. 

"Russell! 'S that you? Man, you've been gone a really long time! Me an' mom have been worried sick about you!" 

Speaking of things to be thankful for, there was Chris, stepping out the passenger side of his mom's beat-up pick-up truck, and Russell had the urge to apologize to him- maybe for worrying him, maybe for not telling him about his parents, maybe for dragging him into his problems- but he pushed it down. He could apologize later. 

Something must’ve changed in his expression, because when Chris stopped in front of him, his face was uncharacteristically somber. 

"Hey...you alright? Those drugs the scientists had you on didn’t screw up your brain, did they?" 

Russell wondered if he should tell him the truth.

"Umm... Sprechen sie Deutsch? Nihongo ga yobiemasu ka?" 

They were friends, after all.

"Chris."

He shut up, and Russell found himself hesitating. How did others do this whole telling the truth thing so casually? Maybe he should just apologize now and go from there. Before that day, he'd been mostly apathetic towards everything, after all. 

"I...I'm sorry I made you worry. I really...haven't been a good friend to you at all, or to anyone, so...I'm sorry." 

Chris had a strange look on his face- it might’ve been shock, but Russell was hardly attuned to his own newfound emotions, so he wasn’t able to properly discern it. 

It took him a minute to resume speaking, and Russell patiently waited. 

"You...you don't need to apologize, y'know. Cause what those people did to you...that's unforgiveable. As for whether or not you're a good friend..." he laughed awkwardly and clapped Russell on the back in something that was almost a hug, but not. "Well, you're still _my_ friend, whether I'm _yours_ or not, and that's all you gotta worry about." 

He pulled away with the same lackadaisical grin Russell was accustomed to seeing. 

"So, where will you go now?"

Russell shrugged his shoulders. That question reminded him somewhat of the Informant. "I guess...I dunno," he answered honestly. "My parents are dead, and my aunt hates me. The lady in charge of the experiment said I might end up with my grandparents, but I don't even know if they're alive. I might just end up in an orphanage. Not like it matters to me anymore." He closed his eyes, only to open them a moment later. "Anywhere is better than there." 

Chris blinked. That was the Russell he knew, just a teeny bit more emotional than before. Huh. Guess miracles really existed. 

He shrugged and held out his hand. 

"Well, until we know for sure...wanna stay the night?" 

It was something he would've said back before, and the familiarity of it made Russell feel warm inside. Happy. 

He took Chris's hand and nodded. "Sure." 

* * *

It always amazed Russell how quiet and patient Chris's mother was. They must've stood outside with the door open for five full minutes- far longer than was necessary- and when the two boys finally climbed in- Russell in the passenger seat and Chris behind him in the back- she just smiled and said, "we had a feeling you'd be joining us, so I prepared a room for you". 

"For you"....

How many times had he heard those words directed at him? Maybe a few times from his grandparents, and a few times from Yumi when she caught him wandering late at night. But other than that diary, the video game console, and the clothes on his back, he'd never really had anything of his own.

Even if it was only for one night, it was...nice. 

"Thank you, ma'am," he said, feeling a few tears build up in the corners of his eyes. He blinked them away, even as she smiled and waved nonchalantly, keeping one hand on the steering wheel. 

"You don't need to thank me, Russell. After all, it'd just be cruel to leave you out on your own on Thanksgiving!" 

Russell looked down at his hands, feeling an empty pit where his stomach should’ve been.

He wondered what Gardenia would’ve been doing right now. Probably helping her dad cook a big Thanksgiving feast.

Dogma and Cody would be tending the church with their mother.

Kantera would probably be in his clinic, eating manju and remembering his grandfather.

Mireille would be at the hospital with Saxon, whether it was her shift or not. With how much they seemed to love each other, it wasn't even a question so much as a _fact_.

Yumi would probably be volunteering to cover for whichever officers had the day off.

Tabasa would probably be eating take-out, somewhere. 

_And I would be...?_

Russell would've been with his parents, tucked away in a corner so as not to be seen or heard, as his father would drink more imported wine than what was healthy- more wine that day than beer on a normal day, even- and his mother would actually leave the house and satisfy herself somewhere else. 

Russell didn’t feel guilty about killing _them_ , at least. 

Chris's mother parked the truck outside their shabby apartment complex and turned it off, then used a button on her key-thingamajig to unlock the doors. Russell clambered out first, then Chris. 

Chris jogged ahead of Russell and led him Into the complex. Already, the smell of roast turkey saturated the place, and Russell tried hard not to drool at the thought of it. Back home- no, back at _that place_ \- such delicious smells were especially uncommon. 

Somewhere behind him, he heard Chris's mother walking at a more sedate pace. The door to the apartment was locked and she had the keys, but neither Russell nor Chris showed any sign of impatience. 

She unlocked the door, letting it swing open, and Chris bounced into the living area. 

It smelled wonderful- like turkey and gravy and stuffing and potatoes and corn and yams and dinner rolls and other essentials for a Thanksgiving feast. Silently, Russell vowed that if he was seriously allowed to stay for this, he'd eat as much as he could. 

* * *

Chris's mother took the turkey out of the oven and began carving it while Chris and Russell set the table. It was a low coffee table that looked like it'd seen better days, but it was what it was. 

After a time, the three of them were all knelt at that table- which seemed to strain against the weight of all the food- with their hands clasped in prayer. Even though Russell himself never did this, he'd heard Chris talk about it in previous years (when he wasn’t asking Russell why he didn’t leave his parents), and recognized the sentiment behind the gesture. 

And then, at Chris's mother's prompting, there was a moment of silent prayer and thanks between them. Maybe before, Russell would’ve used this time to reflect over his decisions rather than actually pray, but not this time. 

_God...can you hear me? I'm sorry. I've done some terrible things in my life, and it's only now that I've learned to regret them. If I could be reborn, God, I'd want to be reborn into a better person- one who can smile and laugh honestly, and who can actually make friends with people instead of killing them. But for now..._

"Iitadekimasu!" 

"Russell, could you be a dear and pass the potatoes, please? Thank you."

"Geez, man! You're all skin and bones- here, gimme your plate!" 

_Thank you for this..._

 


	2. Night

When Russell went to bed that night, his stomach was fuller than it'd ever been, and his heart was simultaneously heavy with guilt and light with happiness. 

The room Chris's mother had set up for him was tiny. The paint on the walls was chipped in some places and cracked in others, and the only furniture to be found was a stained futon that was as clean as it was ever going to be and a wooden dresser that was missing a drawer. 

The room was tiny and not in the best of shape, especially for a guest room, but it was already more than he'd ever gotten back at _that place_ , as if the food weren’t enough.   
For at least the third time that night, Russell thanked Chris in his head for everything he'd done, even as he closed his eyes and fell asleep. 

And in his sleep, he dreamed.

* * *

His 'house' looked the same as it did when he woke up on the seventh and last day of the Happy Dream. Purple flowers peeked down from the corner of the ceiling, and a few vines had started growing from the vertex of the wall and the floor. His diary was left closed on the table behind the bed, and there were sheets of paper scattered on the floor. 

_Why am I here_ , Russell thought, _even though that Happy Dream ended? Those scientists kept me a few extra days to make sure the drug was out of my system, too..._

But then, it didn’t matter now. He was already here, after all. 

_Might as well see what's going on. If this is the only place that's the same, then..._

Russell opened the door and went outside. 

The cobblestoned pathway winding its way between the houses of the nameless town was a darker brown than it should’ve been.

The grass was more of a yellow-green color, nowhere near the bright green he remembered. The trees- in which there were no accusing eyeballs- had lost most of their leaves- fallen in great red and yellow piles around them. 

The sky was the only thing that looked the same- bright and blue as ever, with only a few clouds. 

The sound of calm and relaxed footsteps pulled Russell from his comparative thoughts, and he turned to see Kantera walking along the path. The kimono he wore was also different- a light brown thing with red maple leaves and an orange obi around the waist. He looked surprised for a split second, but at what was anyone's guess. 

"Oh. Good morning, Russell. Tis rare to see you awake this early." 

Oh. So that's what it was. 

"Good morning, Kantera-sensei." 

He chuckled, but Russell couldn't tell what was so funny. 

"Ohoho...I trust you slept well?" 

Russell nodded his head as Kantera came to stand beside his (non-corroded) mailbox. 

"Yes..."

_If it could be called sleep...._

The doctor waved his hand. "Wonderful! Oh, and lest I forget, do you have plans to visit Gardenia?" He put a finger to his chin, "I hear she plans to host a hearty Thanksgiving feast. Surely you'll join us in celebrating?" 

Russell smiled softly. This was his dream, so why wouldn’t he? 

"Of course." 

"Then I expect to see you at her house tonight. Farewell, Russell," Kantera said with a bow. Russell nodded and waved stiffly, then turned his attention to the pale blue house just barely peeking out between his own house and Fairia's shop. 

_Was he here, too?_

Russell shook his head and began walking towards the edge of the Dozing Forest. Night would fall when he wanted it to, but first, he wanted to explore the surrounding areas. 

* * *

There were a few trees in the forest that were still green, sticking out like sore thumbs against the red or otherwise bare trees surrounding them. The giant tree above the Sad Birthday House was still there, but the door leading into it had disappeared. That was fine, though- it wasn’t like Russell had planned to return there any time soon. 

The Incarners were absent, as well, and that should’ve made the forest seem eerie and quiet and scary, but Russell actually felt more at ease. He'd gotten rid of the monsters in this area over a week ago, after all. 

He wandered north and entered Darcover. The inhabitants were finely dressed, but their blue lily heads were now a vivid red. None of them spoke to him, but that was fine. He was more interested in the scenery, anyway. 

With quiet footsteps, the blond exited the town and went up to Dead Tree Hill. The tree at the top did not live up to its name- it looked healthy, the leaves a dark green. It was almost strange to see it now, but not unpleasant. The doorway to Funerale was missing, though- but Russell supposed it was because there was no dead tree for it to appear in. 

With a shrug of his shoulders, Russell turned and went back the way he came. 

He considered going to see if the Monster's Nest was still there, but decided he wasn’t ready to see it in the event it was. So he went south. 

He turned and saw the green tori gate. The semi-transparent stepping stones were all the proof he needed that Dragon's Peak still existed. So Russell continued until he got to the cave housing the Catties' Secret Route. He entered and immediately found himself in the short tunnel leading to Cloakpoint- as if the Secret Route had never existed. 

With a raised brow, Russell opened the bright red door at the end of it and entered the village, his surprise fading momentarily as the village looked the same as ever. It reminded him somewhat of those last few days of the Happy Dream- even when Darcover and Seaside had crumbled and disappeared, Cloakpoint looked completely unaffected. 

He spared a glance at the clock tower, but didn’t see the telltale glint of an icy door leading to the Snow Village. With another shrug, he walked back, returning to where the Incarners' Market used to be.

If there were no Incarners, there probably wasn’t a Resort Island. If Darcover and Dragon's Peak, the first two towns to crumble, still existed, then Seaside definitely did, and since the hospital was in Seaside, it was still there, too- though abandoned or not was anybody's guess. 

So...there wasn’t really anything left to check on...was there? 

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, the sun began to set, streaking red across the forest floor. Having apparently made up his mind, Russell returned to the Nameless Town.

* * *

Briefly, Russell thought about checking in with everyone around town, but decided against it. They were probably already at Gardenia's right now, and anyone who wasn’t would be soon (except for maybe the Informant, if he still existed, but Russell figured he could visit him before he woke up). 

So with that in mind, he walked along the cobblestoned pathways of the town, guided by the light of the streetlamps, towards Gardenia's house. 

It looked the same on the outside- maybe a bit more orange, but that, Russell attributed to the lighting. 

He opened the door and stepped inside, surprised and unsettled by the familiar wooden floors of the real Gardenia's house in place of the black and white tiles he'd seen in the dream. Ah, but he couldn’t turn back now, could he? He did promise, after all, and while he was a murderer, Russell wasn’t one to break promises on purpose. And, to run away from such a stupid thing was...stupid. 

So he roughly squashed his discomfort down to the deepest depths of himself and placed his shoes by the door before making his way to the kitchen. Maybe Gardenia would appreciate his help with- 

Tabasa blocked his path. 

It took Russell a moment to recognize him, as he wasn’t wearing his usual hoodie. Though his hair ornament was still there, his green hoodie had been replaced with a dark brown poncho, decorated with red, orange, and yellow feathers at the collar. It looked soft, and Russell almost wanted to pet it, but that would’ve been strange to ask. 

"You probably shouldn't head in there, Russell. Gardenia and Mireille said they don't want anyone else in the kitchen unless someone's dying, eheheh..." he wore a nervous expression on his face as he gently gripped Russell's shoulders and began steering him towards the dining room, where he could see Cody, Dogma, Kantera, and Yumi were already seated at the table. 

"Oh! There ye are, Russell! I was wonderin' what happened to you!" Yumi said as he came in. Russell kept his face blank as he sat beside her, leaving the seat across himself open as Tabasa sat beside Dogma.

Saxon was there, too, at the head of the table, seemingly content to just watch the proceedings. 

"Oh...I was just...looking at the leaves in the forest..." Russell explained. To his left, Cody nodded her head. "That makes sense. The forest is really pretty this time of year- though it kinda sucks that the Incarners close up shop, too." 

_So that's how they saw it, then..._

Dogma huffed. "I say, good riddance! If they were always here, we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the things they can provide! We'd be run down into a world of greedy ingrates before we even realized it!" 

The other older adults nodded in agreement as Cody crossed her arms, only to uncross them a second later and shrug. 

"I guess that's true. I can just gather whatever else I need myself, anyway." 

"And I at least would greatly appreciate that," Kantera said as the door leading into the kitchen opened with a creak, "these old joints just don't move as well as they have in the past." 

Gardenia's head peered out of the doorway, wearing a cheery grin, "Tabasa," she called, "Will you and Russell please help me and Mireille get the food out here?" 

Tabasa sighed airily and rolled his shoulders before answering, "yeah! In a sec!" 

The two obligingly got up from their seats, pushing their chairs back and in again with a long and drawn out scrape. Gardenia ducked back into the kitchen as they approached, and Russell caught the scent of freshly cooked meat wafting in through a crack in the door. 

She pushed the door open a moment later and pushed a large, steaming meat pie into Tabasa's arms. The man let out an 'oof!' as he just barely managed to grip it. 

As he went to set it on the table, Gardenia went back in and then came back out with a large bowl of shrimple salad. Russell took it from her before she had the chance to thrust it into his arms and set it beside the meat pie. And so Gardenia took dishes from Mireille, and passed them to either Tabasa or Russell so they could be put on the table, and it continued this way until the table was completely covered with food. 

Thefeast consisted of typical foods Russell had seen in the Happy Dream- shrimple salad, turnimp salad, healthy carrot salad, meat pie, jellied squiddly-daut, crockopuss noodles, shell-beokay soup, moonfish soup, grilled stellafish- and stuff he hadn't seen before- something that looked like mashed potatoes but was, according to Mireille, mashed potato-fish, and something that looked almost like a turkey, but with a couple extra limbs. 

At Dogma and Cody's insistence, the group of eight bowed their heads and prayed over the food, and then began serving themselves. 

"Ah...are you sure you don't want any more, Russell? You're so thin..." 

"Quite. Tis unhealthy for such a young lad to be so thin."

"Eat up, everyone! We made plenty!" 

"Shucks, Mireille! These're some mighty fine eats!" 

"Cody, must you eat so slovenly? It's embarrassing."

"Shhh! Don't be such a prude, Dogma! If I'm eating messy, it means I'm more focused on how good the food is than my manners!" 

"Thanks for the food, you two- it's really good!" 

Russell felt warmth in his chest, much like he had with Chris and his mother, and allowed himself to smile softly. It felt nice to have people worry about him, even as he resolutely pushed down the guilt threatening to surface- because if he let it show, even here, the others would just ask what was wrong, and it'd just worsen the feast. 

And then, there was the creak of the front door opening. 

_Is it him? Is he here after all, then?_

A boy, almost but not quite identical to himself entered the dining room wearing his signature sardonic grin. 

"Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope you saved some food for me!" 

With a somewhat disjointed chorus that added up to 'hello, Informant!', said Informant helped himself to the seat across from Russell. As everyone slowly resumed eating and talking, Russell silently picked at his mashed potato-fish, trying to ignore the way his doppelgänger’s vivid green eyes bore accusingly into him. 

The Informant frowned and, without having touched the food at all, kept his eyes trained on Russell's, refusing to let him shy away from his gaze. 

"They're right, you know- you really should eat more," he eventually said, his words meant for Russell and consequently inaudible to everyone else amidst their own chatter. 

"Speak for yourself..." Russell said, his smile a little less noticeable than it was a minute ago.   
"I _am_ ," the Informant said, genuine even despite his normally sardonic tone. 

" _Are_ you?" Russell dared to ask, "because while you are me, you also have enough sense of self to form your own opinions and goals, isn’t that right?" 

The other boy rested his chin in his hand, propping his elbow on the surface of the table. 

"I _am_ ," he insisted, "and I'm _not_. But the point is, Russell, you have people here who care for you, and who have rebuilt this world for you because of that." 

"...Are you worried I'll waste it?" 

Now the Informant looked pensive. 

"Not...necessarily. Just...well, if you die because you decided to starve yourself, I'd be pretty upset with you- right before I die right along with you. Though I guess...I wouldn’t really mind dying if it's with you..." he closed his eyes, and his smile grew wistful for a moment before he shook himself out of it. 

Then his face showed some semblance of excitement. 

"Hey, Russell, come outside with me! I have something to show you!" 

Russell quirked a brow, but nodded, more curious than anything. 

He left his plate where it was and went around the table, meeting with the Informant right behind Saxon's chair. 

The Informant grabbed his hand and led him towards the doorway. "I'm taking Russell outside for a little bit!" He announced, "Save us some dessert!" 

And then, just like that, they were outside. 

"So...what did you want to show me?" Russell asked. The Informant pointed and said, "look up." 

The sky was perhaps the brightest night sky Russell had ever seen. The moon was large and full and bright, but it was nothing compared to the stars, glimmering and sparkling and shining in a rainbow of colors all throughout the sky. So bright were they, the streetlamps had sensed the light and turned off on their own. 

Russell stared, transfixed, and the Informant smiled, genuine for once, and ran his thumb across Russell's knuckles. The boy didn’t even flinch, didn't even try to take his hand back even though they'd been holding hands a few moment longer than what outside society would deem appropriate for their age group, and instead looked over to meet his eyes. 

"You've done some bad stuff, Russell, but you've atoned for your sins in the Happy Dream. This is a day to celebrate that second chance,' the Informant explained, "so I rearranged the sky. Now, you can look and see where that guilt's gotten you. It took longer than I expected, but..." 

He turned his own emerald eyes up, and Russell followed suit, unable to help the wide smile on his face. 

"I guess...as long as you're happy with this, then it's fine. Happy Thanksgiving, Russell." 


End file.
